A family friendly festival through and through
Folk by the Oak is just outside London, but its leafy location feels a million miles away. As the UK’s largest one day folk festival it promises all the open air buzz of a 3 day festival packed into one joyous day of music, fun and bunting!
Born in 2008; the fruition of a long held dream for festival directors Adam and Caroline Slough, Folk by the Oak is about to celebrate the 10th festival with a sensational 2017 line-up that includes Levellers, Kate Rusby and Show of Hands to name but a few.
For your chance to be there with your family, you can enter below to win a family pass.
“We want all our smaller Folk by the Oakers to enjoy the festival as much as the grown-ups!” says Caroline.
“The venue lends itself perfectly to a family friendly festival. The Main Stage with its outdoor arena means that children can freely dance about in the parkland and our smaller, covered Acorn Stage attracts a little gathering of children right at the front singing along to favourite songs!”
“As well as programming a day of back to back sublime music across the 2 stages, we have lovingly gathered together many magical, unique and imaginative activities for children to enjoy, either in our dedicated family area or dotted around the festival site”
2017 sees the welcome return of many activities to Folk by the Oak, plus a number of new and exciting additions. Out and about there are lively Folk Dance Sessions performed by Harpenden based Young Miscellany Dance Group who are always happy to welcome adventurous audience members join in.
Around the festival site you will find longbow archery and celtic crafts with Celtic Harmony while the Flip Juggling team are there to guide you through the finer arts of Circus Skills and The Complete Wasters are on hand with their recycled art project: Groovy Record Decorating.
For those who love a little nostalgia there’s traditional wooden ‘Village Fete’ games and traditional fairground stalls such as the ever popular swing boats.
At the heart of the dedicated Family Space is the formidable Slacklining School designed to bring your sense of balance into question!
Next to the old spreading oak tree you’ll find Storytelling in the Yarnsmith of Norwich’s medieval tent – the perfect space for tall tales and eloquent elaborations.
Children and adults alike are invited to immerse themselves in the Lavender Mandala – a patterned sea of fragrance and colour.
Likewise everyone is welcome to get in a tangle doing the Knot Making Workshops, decorate their hands with beautiful organic Henna Designs or add a colourful oak leaf to the Folk by the Oak Family Tree!
For the musically minded The Morris Minors singing group will be gathering together young singers to explore some lively songs and if you’ve got enough puff left, there’s always the mesmerising digeridoo workshops!
There’s also a range of craft workshops in the Craft Tent to inspire all ages to get making, indulge in a mindful moment or two and enjoy some pottery, felt craft making, joyfully absorbing knitting, willow weaving, woodturning and even delicious chocolate decorating activities.
You can even bring your own picnic!
Feeding kids without spending a fortune at a festival often means a trip back to the tent and missing out on the action. Folk by the Oak is rather different. The organisers actively encourage you to bring your own homemade food into the arena and enjoy your picnic wherever you please!
Should supplies run low there’s a carefully selected and plentiful array of tasty food stalls, from the simple festival staples of the traditional ice-cream van, stone-baked pizzas and gourmet burgers, to noodles, Persian delights and scrummy curries for the more adventurous of tummies!